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Monday, December 30, 2013

I am rushing rushing to bring you at least one more free cutting file this year. I had made another custom card for a friend and she requested it be a football theme. So voila! This file is sized to fit nicely on a landscape quarter-fold card (5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inch)

I cut the football pieces on my Silhouette Cameo. I glued them on at the areas you see in the picture. Once it was dried completely I ran the football through this pebbly look Cuttlebug embossing folder. Next, I threaded some cord through the holes. I used this football as an element to make this card a “wobbler” (click to read a past post on wobblers) but you might simply have it secured and stand out by using foam tape to raise it up over the card. I hope you enjoy this file for your personal use projects.

As another year comes to a close I want to encourage you. Think big picture. Live in “real-time”. Life is such a precious gift and is where we work out our unique purpose and plan God intended for us. Trust in this.

You might think your days and ways “ordinary” but God often does extraordinary works through the most ordinary of persons. Don’t self-doubt, for we can easily get stuck in the inertia of this.

Do good things. Be love in action, there is never a shortage of ways you can make a positive impact wherever you are. It takes so very little. A kind deed, a helping hand, a random act, a phone call, a letter, be a shoulder, an ear. The more action you have of doing good, the less time you dwell on your own problems - and seriously, some will simply fade away. In light of the needs of others we often realize how truly blessed our lives are. Perspective is good for the heart and soul.

Listen twice as much as you talk. Turn off your cellphone when you’re with people if at all possible. Notice details. Put yourself second to the person you are with. Love others with all your heart and it will come back to you. Pure love is irresistible.

Let go of the past. Burn it, crush it. It is not recyclable and there are no “do-overs”. The past is for learning. What worked, what didn’t. You learned your tongue can get you in trouble. You learned your tongue also could build someone up. Your tongue betrayed you, and it also made a good difference in other situations. Take all the regrets and turn them into “what not to do’s”. Practice. It takes practice and…

Embrace your imperfection. You were created to be imperfect. Don’t waste even one of your numbered days trying to become perfect - it will never happen. Do your best, then rest. Imperfection keeps us humble. Imperfection teaches us. Even the one who created us allowed His son to be born into an imperfect human body so that we know He knows each and every thing we go through.

Extend grace, peace and love to others. Love them without reservation. If you don’t understand someone, at least respect them. When you respect someone else’s point of view you allow yourself to consider new things - ways you may not have considered. Remember, its so easy to look into someone else’s life and make assumptions. Care enough to check them out.

True changes of heart can only be inspired through love.

Don’t expect others to do the footwork for you - as my friend Kayla puts it BE the change! Your example can inspire!

And though this post is geared in the thought of a coming New Year, remember, God’s grace is new each and every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) so its never too late to start a “New Year”. We will all fall, but we keep getting up!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog over the years and for taking a moment out of your busy life to leave me comments etc. YOU have had a positive impact on me.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

I haven’t played with the rhinestones feature of my Cameo yet, but looking at projects using this method has inspired me to create a pseudo-project along this theme. I chose to create a vertical fold 5.5 x 4.25 card.

Supplies:

Cardstock

Designer Paper

Gems

Star punch (or cut one using your machine)

Snowflake embossing folder.

Instructions:

I cut the cardstock for a vertical 5.5 x 4.25 inch card. I cut designer paper the same and glued it to the face of the card. I cut the Christmas Gem Tree cutting file from white cardstock. I ran it through the snowflake embossing folder. I centered and glued this to the face of the card. I added the gems, circular for the tree parts and square for the trunk.

I punched a star, added a tiny gem in the center.

I keep thinking on variations of this card, stay tuned, you might see it appear in a different way.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Rack, Rack, Racking my brains today for some last minute Christmas gifts (per request from my handsome amazing Mr.) And not wanting to have to rush into town to buy things I had to fall upon whatever was at hand.

I had a set of four clear glass ornaments (similar to these in the picture above) which I’ve looked at almost every day since last summer. I bought them at a yard sale or thrift shop. I kept thinking of what I would do with them. I had Pinterested them and I had Craftgawkered them. I had looked in magazines and I had just thunk and thunk into dreamland some nights. But today, I got an idea.

I wanted to bless a coffee shop in town and I had a brilliant concept creep into the creative area of my brain. So, for the first ornament I thought I would decorate the outside of the bulb with a glittery pattern and fill the inside with whole coffee beans. It went pretty good.

I removed the decorative cap from the ornament. I washed and dried the ornament way ahead of time, inside and out and gave it time to dry. I used my Cameo cut a couple of holes in cardstock, (one 2 inches in diameter, the other 2.5 inches) and then set the ornament underneath and sprayed an adhesive over the exposed area, thus making a sticky circle. Then I repeated this with a smaller circle over the top up to the rim. This is where I believe I made a mistake, for unless my intent would be purely to give this as a “look upon” present, I should not have put glitter anywhere near the hole.

This is because later, when I glittered the sticky areas and then went to fill the ball with coffee beans, they got glitter mixed in with them. Therefore, the recipient, though they could gaze upon it with great joy, they could not actually use the coffee beans.

So, I went about creating a second set of pretty and more functional set of ornaments.

These ornaments contain a whole coffee pot portion my own freshly ground mix of coffee, vanilla bean and dark cocoa. Whoever receives this not only gets to enjoy it hanging but can use the contents too.

So, of course I had to build a tag for it. I whipped up a design for it with the idea for a “chalkboard” look.

Supplies:

Java Nice Christmas cutting file - Barbara Derksen

Black Cardstock

Silhouette Sketch pen - white

Various gel pens - I used silver, gold, green

Glossy Accents

Stickles - red

Snowflake punch

Hole punch

Instructions:

Ungroup the Cutting file. Delete the outside cut line and the hole line. Load your Cameo with black cardstock and the white Silhouette Sketch Pen. Use the “sketch pen” setting on your Cameo. “cut” or “sketch” the sentiment.

Now, exchange the sketch pen for the cutting blade. Use the “undo” arrow in your software to step backwards until you have the entire file back, then select and delete the text. Set your Cameo to “cardstock” and cut the outer edges of tag.

This will now be the base of your chalkboard cardstock tag. Here is how I dressed it up. I used gold and silver gel pens to color in the text. I drew holly leaves next to the “Merry Little Christmas” text. I then added some glossy accents to the leaves. Next, I created holly berries using dots of red Stickles. I allowed all of this to dry well.

I punched a snowflake from silvery glitter paper, then punched a hole in the center and lined it up with the tag hole at the top. Glued that on.

Finally, I printed out the coffee ingredient tags (I’ve included these in case you whip up your very own Vanilla Mocha Coffee. Stuck these on the back with some double sided tape.

I filled my bulbs with enough coffee to make someone a very (caffeinated) and Merry Christmas. I chose some ribbon and a loop of gold filament thread to hang the ornament upon the tree.

Please leave any questions in my comments and I’ll be happy to answer all. Enjoy!

Monday, December 16, 2013

Thanks to the “Simplify Your Life”course by Marcia Ramsland I headed up at my church a few months ago, I find myself (quite astonishingly) with a little breather for a day or two. By breather I certainly don’t mean I have idle time because idle would probably drive me buggy. But I have some time to gift myself a crafty day to myself.

I’ve had to imagine up a design for my own gift card holder so I made it to share with YOU! Here’s the preview and instructions:

SUPPLIES:

Mitten Gift Card Holder cutting file by Barbara Derksen

8 x 8 inch (or larger) piece of designer paper

white cardstock

Gems

Punched or cut snowflakes

glue, double-sided tape, glue dot

stamps or vinyl

ribbon

There are three basic shapes to my cutting file:

Cut your mitten and tab from the designer paper of your choice. The mitten is a two sided fold. Be sure to make sure your pattern is going in the right direction if you have any graphics on the designer paper.

Next, cut the insert using a white cardstock. There are perforations along the sides of the insert. Fold them and then glue it into the middle top of the right side of the glove fold (inside) At this point, you can choose to either glue the mitten altogether, or you can sew around the edges like I did (I’m not so good with the machine but I get the job done )

Now I add on the sentiment (which I cut from vinyl… I’m ADDICTED to vinyl) and then I layered a few snowflakes together, placed a bling gem in the center and popped that onto the card using a glue dot. (ok, I’m addicted to Glue Dots too)

After it was all together, I add a nice ribbon around the top of the mitten. I personally prefer to anchor a length of ribbon flat around the card first, using bits of double sided tape and then I use my bow maker and stick it on top, again with glue dots. This makes the bow sit so nice on top of the flat ribbon.

Lastly, I put a little double sided tape on the tab, stick one side of it to either side of the gift card and then slide it into the insert inside the glove. Voila!

I hope you enjoy this file for your PERSONAL use. I’d love it if you might feel moved to donate here if you are feeling flush (more $ = more caffeine/craft supplies etc) which gives me the freedom to do loads more creating and giving here. If you are like me and broke (but very VERY happy haha) how bout if you might consider PINteresting me, twittering me or FB me? Thanks so much!

Me and Dino encourage you today with this message that I found online, which can be relevant to all - especially in this hectic season:

Just for todayI will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appal me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for todayI will be happy. Most folks are as happy as they make up their own minds to be.

Just for todayI will adjust myself to what is and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my luck as it comes and fit myself to it.

Just for todayI will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.

Just for todayI will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

I had a friend ask me to make a card for her nephew who is a big hockey fan so I put my thinker on to make a custom card for him. I always like to include a person’s name on a card if I am able because I think, and especially for kids - though I get great feedback from adults too, that it makes one feel really special. It shows that someone thought just of YOU when they picked out or asked for a custom card.

Here is what I came up with:

SUPPLIES:

Cutting file - Hockey Card by Barb Derksen (ya, me *grin*)

Cardstock

designer paper - wood print (not sure who this was by, t’was a scrap.

Stamps: chevron - American Crafts Collection - Jared

Happy Birthday - Studio G

Embossing powder

vinyl

ribbon

gelly-roll marker - clear star

I’ll explain how I made this card and give you a few options on how you can achieve the same thing. This is a 4.25 x 5.5 inch card (1/2 sheet letter size cardstock) I cut the background gray designer paper, glued it town. I cut the woodgrain cardstock using my Silhouette Cameo. Now if you don’t have any woodgrain paper or you are doing a mass of these, you might consider buying some Contact vinyl (in your local hardware or dollar store - the stuff you line your cupboards with) It comes in a nice woodgrain. So you cover some plain cardstock with that then cut it on your Silhouette machine using the cardstock setting. (3 on the blade setting)

Once you have it cut out then you take a white ribbon and wrap it around the stick. Glue this to your card.

Stamp the Happy Birthday and the chevrons onto your card, emboss.

Next, cut your puck. You may choose to use vinyl stuck to cardstock again (which I did) or you might just use black cardstock and you might choose to emboss that cardstock… or not. Glue the pieces together. I provide two different size ovals for the top - you can experiment as to which works best. If you are going to personalize it this is a good time, I used a nice shiny silver vinyl for this. I drew a little Gelly Roller Clear Star pen, though a gel pen in silver would do the trick too.

As you are preparing for the holidays … as its a busy time and its easy to become overwhelmed, even irritated or annoyed - STOP for a moment and consider the very thing that’s affecting you. I’m suggesting you take that very thing and think!

It may be interpreted as something very very small in the BIG picture. For example, if I found out something I ordered for a gift was unavailable or late, I could be upset, but if I turn that around I might be so thankful I can afford to order something. Or, if I should be faced with too many invitations out with family and friends over the holidays… why, I should be ashamed, for what a JOY to have friends and family to do special things with.

This is a little reminder to live in the moment - don’t let anything snatch away the gladness of being just where you are, right now.

Remember, there is always someone worse off than you.

James 1:26-27

The Message (MSG)

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

Don’t allow your perception to be skewed. Safeguard your heart and remember that its far better to give than receive. If you find yourself becoming a little ‘brittle’ in all the kafuffle … DO SOMETHING NICE for someone. Do something ridiculously generous. Totally random. You won’t believe just how liberating that is, and it is guaranteed to get your holiday heart back on track.

Monday, December 09, 2013

Wow, I have missed posting here - missed all my blog friends and visitors. Life has been super-hectic(frantic/jumbled etc?) haha, but its all good! Here is one of the things that I invested my time in recently.

I was given an invitation to decorate the tables for the 29th annual Boundary Women’s Christmas Celebration. It took place at Rock Creek BC this year. Rock Creek is is rural… very very rural, but located sort of central to the entire area from which women from all over come to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas Season. To give you a little flavour of this event I will tell you that it began all those years ago with a few women from the farms and valleys desiring to just “get together” a few weeks before the holidays to encourage and inspire each other. I believe the first celebrations were just hosted in their homes, but as the years passed and they opened this up to other women (via word of mouth) they had to move this venue to larger buildings. And now, its grown to a just under 200 people event.

I have enjoyed attending the past 4 years and it’s the perfect way for me to join with a diverse group of ladies, from all walks of life to bask in their skits, songs, scripture, crafts demos etc. I was moved to offer my hand at decorating this year - using some of my crafts on the tables. My Sister in Law Judy came over to help me too, so we had a nice visit and got to share this experience.

I want to mention here that I ♥ Debbie’s Nativity card cut… she designed this last year and I think they are a classic. I’d highly encourage you to pop over to Debbie’s Paper Pulse blog and download this incredible file. Now, I also would like to you encourage you to dig into your pockets and donate a $ or two (give up your latte for a day?) and donate, for you will want to use this file over and over. Debbie “tip” - its a huge encouragement!

It was a full house - over 175 women!

So nice to have my church family and real family take part!

enjoy craft demo’s

skits

singin’

great country cookin’

going for a good cause (food bank)

It all just really kicked off the season for me - and in the spirit of GIVING, I’m going to give YOU this pretty 3D tealight I designed for your Silhouette cutting machine (SD, portrait, Cameo) I had a lot of fun making this one. I have made the trunk either plain for you, or printed in a wood pattern already. For myself, I did something novel. I bought Contact paper with a woodgrain pattern on it, then I stuck the vinyl to letter sized paper, then I cut it on my Cameo as if it were regular cardstock. This worked wonderfully! Either way is great, though I think your project might have better “stick together” if you use the print and cut I’ve provided. The vinyl could pull away from the paper a bit depending on what glue you use.

When assembled, the “trunk” holds a tray which can hold a standard sized LED tealight. I bought quality tealights from my local Home Hardware because they can light for 100 hours and last longer than cheaper dollar store ones.

You are welcome to use this cutting file for your personal use projects.

Please credit my blog when posting your project

and PINterest me, twitter me or facebook me if you can?

note about this file: the four little squares in this file are for where the tealight support inside (looks like an x with a circle and hole in the middle) meets the inside edge of the cone - so you can cut these with the same pattern paper you use so when you glue them inside (they go UP inside) they show through any “stars” as the same pattern and not a glaring white. Here are pics of the inside of the tree so you can get what I mean (I hope)

This is the X… the framework that sits on the tealight

and supports the tree.

This tree “trunk” and the tealight holder are two pieces.

I topped my tree off with a snowflake decoration I created. When you put the cone part of your tree together, you might push a glue dot up into the top of the tree - to anchor the topper. I used a Martha Stewart punch to make two snowflake shapes from glitter cardstock. I pushed a glue dot up into the top point inside the cone (I used a long wooden skewer to do that, but a knitting needle would do nicely) I glued the snowflakes back to back with the toothpick in beween, using Alene’s Tacky Glue. Once dry, I added a gem in the middle of both sides, popped the toothpick down into the tree and dressed the exposed part of the toothpick with a knotted bit of ribbon.